


Knights of The Forgotten- Greed

by OriginalChampion98



Series: Knights of The Forgotten [2]
Category: Dimension 20 (Web Series), Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game)
Genre: F/M, Homebrew Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-07
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:00:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,724
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27925675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OriginalChampion98/pseuds/OriginalChampion98
Summary: Thrust into the world of Fantasy High, our Knights now have to fight through the canon series of events as well as new enemies. Will they triumph or will they fall to the darkness?
Relationships: TBD - Relationship
Series: Knights of The Forgotten [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1673092





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So... 
> 
> This is the project that has taken up my free time most recently. Whilst I've been undertaking this story, I've found a new collaborator.
> 
> Phreshness: Hello~!
> 
> So, yea D&D story with a big twist. This is the first actual part of the series, starting with Dimension 20's Fantasy High with a number of homebrew pieces in between to finish up with The Unsleeping City. So, enough bs'ing. Let's get it!

*?’s PoV*

*Initializing…*

*Welcome User!*

*Please wait while Gamer protocols are installed…*

*Installing Guardian Ring protocol. Guardian Rings allow Gamers to summon personalized captured creatures to fight by your side. WARNING!; Once Soul-bound to a creature, it is then synced to your specific ring and cannot be changed. Removal of this ring will nullify the effect and deactivate this protocol.*

*Installing Brothers In Arms protocol. If no more than two party members have been incapacitated before the end of a confrontation, the party gains 25% bonus experience.*

*Installing Heroes Never Die protocol. If the whole party dies, the party respawns at their last ‘checkpoint’ at the cost of half of their funds. WARNING! This can only be done a set number of times and does not work if the user and their party are consumed by the corruptive shadows.*

*Installing Treasure Hunters & Tomb Raiders protocol. Every party member will make an investigation check. If the total average is higher than eighteen, then the party will receive more loot after encounters. Gamers will still need to pass their preliminary investigation check in order for this boon to function.*

*Downloading Player Informational Heads Up Display…*

*Please wait… Welcome, Dylan Folds!*

I blearily opened my eyes, groaning as I sat up. I cracked my neck as I looked around at my surroundings, and felt panic well up in my chest.

Forest, as far as the eye can see. The canopy blocked most of the light around me, rendering it dim and somewhat unsettling. A light fog hung a little above the ground, further intensifying the creepy atmosphere.

I could, therefore, be forgiven for jumping a little as a green transparent box popped up two feet from my face. “Welcome Dylan Folds to the Gamer interface! Would you like a tutorial?”

Hesitantly, I tapped the ‘Accept’ icon and watched as the first text box disappeared and was replaced by a green HUD lining my vision. A small arrow pointed to a set of bars at the top left corner of my vision. “These are your health and stamina bars. Your health will fall when taking damage either in combat or in certain conditions. Your stamina will deplete as you fail to attend to your personal needs and debuffs will be applied as necessary.”

The tutorial then continued, highlighting various standard features applicable to your standard RPG. I was surprised as the tutorial continued with “You are a Wolf-Demon, which was created by a demi-goddess after an experiment with combining humans and animals. Your Dexterity, Constitution and Wisdom scores have all increased by one point and you have gained the Darkvision, Keen Senses and Swift Movements perks which are detailed in the Perks page of your Gamer interface.” 

I immediately felt around the top of my head and around my tailbone, and felt a variety of new protrusions in those places. A pair of fuzzy ears on my head and a long bushy tail occupied their respective spaces, and I distantly wondered how much worse this apparent drug trip was going to get.

I observed my outfit, and was surprised by the change. A gray and black jacket with sleeves rolled up to my elbows, worn over a black v-neck t-shirt and black jeans with two gray belts wrapped around my waist, tied together with black mid-shin boots and black leather fingerless gloves studded with two rows of silver skulls across the top of my hands. I turned my attention back to the pop ups as they continued to appear in my face.

“You furthermore have access to the Gambler and Spellthief classes. Gamblers tend to play with the odds with their unique brand of chaotic magic tied to their cards, with their own unique effects that are detailed in the Classes page of the Gamer interface. The Spellthief class further encapsulates this archetype, gambling with life and death while creating various effects with your Runed Gloves and playing cards.” 

I blinked, trying to wrap my head around the fever dream my life has apparently turned into as I heard a groan from behind me. I turned…

To a dead body apparently rising from the grave.

I stared, slack jawed in shock, as a body limply rose and the stench of months long decay rolled over me in a disgusting wave as I gagged. A half dragon with deep yellow eyes that peer from under a black hood of bones and decaying flesh. On his back, he had tattered decaying flesh wings that had various tendons showing and looked almost unsuitable for flight, the body had claws that were crooked, as if in life they were broken and never healed correctly. A tail that is draped in decaying flesh is also decaying itself and has bones sticking out of it. Under his jet black trench coat on his belt are various bottles of blood and bottles of some other sinister black liquid. He wore black jeans that were torn in various places exposing small patches of black decaying scales. He yawns, exposing his angler fish like teeth that he seems to have an unholy, ethereal yellow glow. Rotting wings unfurled displaying their ten foot wingspan as the ‘corpse’ stretched and popped, I tasted vomit in the back of my mouth. After the half dragon let out another groan, it, he turned to face me and I realized it was my friend Ty. He faced me with barely awake eyes from underneath the hood of rotting flesh attached at his neck. His face was largely the same, minus the dark scales along his cheeks and neck.

What was the first thing I said to him? “Stand five feet back dude, you reek to high heaven.”

He glared tiredly at me. “What do you mean?” I pointed to the rotting wings attached to his back and he turned slowly to regard them. “Oh…. These are badass!”

A chunk of flesh sloughed off and hit the ground with a ‘squelch!’ I barely restrained my stomach from revolting as new rotted flesh grew in place in a bubbling, festering fashion. I shuddered as I regarded him, trying not to eject my stomach’s contents.

I saw his eyes track to an appearing reddish purple transparent box, and I noticed his eyes had changed to a pale yellowish-orange color. I turned to regard the ground around me, seeing as Ty was apparently lying next to me and I hadn’t noticed.

Side effects of the shit show my life has turned into.

I tracked the forest floor as Ty chimed in from behind me. “So, I apparently classify as a Half-Dragon, a Blight Half-Dragon if you’re curious. My Strength, Dexterity and Charisma are all increased by one, I have Darkvision, Keen Senses, Relentless Endurance and Draconic Resistance and my classes are Hemomancer and Necromancer.” 

I briefly glanced back at my apparently Half-Dragon friend with a blank expression. “Explains why you reek like you crawled out of a centuries old tomb.” I smirked as he glared at me with a piercing undead gaze.

“I will devour your soul and rez you as a skeletal footstool….” I looked around and noticed that Kiyah was sleeping nearby. I shook Kiyah awake with a small chuckle as I heard him grump behind me, something along the lines of ‘undying badass’ and ‘it’s not that bad.’

He apparently can’t smell himself, what with the molding decaying corpse smell.

I shuddered as Kiyah groaned and batted at me, apparently too tired to rise from her slumber. I managed to haul her to her feet with a grumpy ‘hmph!’ I immediately noticed a change in the air as a small text box appeared with “Nullifying certain party member scents.” I nodded with a relieved exhale.

As I walked around waking up the other members of the party, I took note of various new ‘features’ they possessed. Kiyah had two ram-like horns and a spade-pointed tail and fire red skin, indicating her race as a Tiefling, she wore a kimono-style dress and tribal style boots. David had two red and metal feathered wings, lined in bronze outlines and larger bronze feathers. He wore blue jeans with a studded black leather belt, a white t-shirt that was covered with a green and yellow hoodie that the metal wings stuck out of. His white sneakers were already slightly dirty from the landscape. Kaden was still the same physically, but a rifle eerily reminiscent of the Forerunner Binary Rifle laid next to him whilst he was unconscious. He wore a green hooded coat over a gray sweater, brown cargo pants and combat boots.

After everyone was cognisant and calm, we went down the list for everyone’s races and classes. David was a Winglord Cyborg, with the Blade Master and Binate Duelist classes. Kiyah was, as I expected, a Tiefling with the Bladesinger and Blade-linked Archer classes. Kaden was a standard human, but his weapon was apparently known as a ‘Rifle of The Planes’, which was a part of his Planar Sniper class. His other class was a bog standard Rouge.

I sat on the forest floor, processing the absolute shit show we woke up in the middle of. We died via Isekai bullshit, were given a divine mission to stop one of the Seven Deadly Sins, and were reincarnated in a D&D campaign from hell after having our souls shattered and sent to six other dimensions not including this one.

I started as I realized we had no idea where in the Planes we were. “So, quick question: where the hell are we, Mister…?”

“You are currently located in the Far Haven Woods outside of Elmville in Solace, in the world of Spyre during the modern era, which is in a style much like the American ‘50s. You’ve spawned in the nearest relatively safe area as the Icon of Greed has corrupted much of his surrounding area.” 

I sighed, feeling my anxiety well up in my chest only to be beaten away via practiced self-admonishment. Standing, I glanced around at my assembled comrades and friends as I contemplated my next words carefully.

“So, to recap: we died, got a massive task unloaded onto our shoulders, had our souls broken and scattered and were thrown into a high fantasy world where we have to destroy the sin of Greed before it destroys us all. Do I have everything straight?” I asked, getting several nods in return. I sighed again, shaking my head whilst massaging the bridge of my nose with my thumb and index finger to stave my incoming headache.

“Brilliant. So, the first order of business: find shelter. Let’s get moving.” I said, gesturing for the others to follow me… 

Before immediately rolling out of the way of an attacking figure.

I draw one of my karambit knives, pulling my playing cards into my other hand with a flourish. A pack of black and green playing cards, done up in a Cyberpunk style, these cards were my primary means of attack when it comes to my class skills and their assorted bullshittery. My karambit, meanwhile, was a steel damascus affair with an ebony wood handle. The back edge was a serrated blade, capable of shredding through flesh and bone with ease while the front edge was a twin hooked blade, severing arteries and capillaries easily.

I regarded the prone figure in front of me. A massive green scaled lizard, claws as large as sabers and a tail as long as a small car swung menacingly behind it. Dark reptilian eyes regarded me coldly as I heard four more shuffling sounds from around me and deduced we were joined by his brood. Ty frowned at the lizards. “So much for it being safe….” I look around at the advancing lizards.

My only thought to this? ‘We’re most definitely in hell right now.’

*Play NateWantsToBattle/ Nathan Sharp- Live Long Enough to Become The Hero*

*Skip to 2:06 when prompted (!)*

An uplifting orchestral swells to life, followed by an electric guitar, as the camera zooms in on Dylan grinning, standing in front of Aguefort Adventuring Academy, before he throws a flaming card that explodes into the title in fancy script.

‘Knights Of The Forgotten: Greed’

He’s joined by Ty, Kiyah, Kaden and David, who all nod to him with matching grins before the full group runs towards the camera which pans towards the sky.

I'm down but you know I'm not out  
I've got another round.  
Second wind and it's picking me up  
Right off the ground.   
(I'm coming back again!)

The Knights were all sitting around a table in Quincy’s Tavern, chatting and eating as Quincy set drinks in front of them.

Can't break me I'm not giving up  
I gotta prove them wrong  
Take your time 'cause I'm not taking mine  
I gotta stand up strong

The scene changes to a confrontation in the lunchroom with a corn blob monster and several corn cob gremlins, being commanded by a lunch lady. The Knights all rush them as one with weapons drawn.

Voice in my head said to keep on going  
Don't let 'em see you bleed don't want your weakness showing  
Need you to see me  
If you could just believe me

A group of large crystals are set in a circle, all of which have silhouettes inside, before a red scaled hand picks one up and holds it up to an appraising golden eye. 

Tell me it'll all be fine  
That's a lie if I don't reach out then how could it be mine?  
Need you to see me  
And know what it's like to be me  
If you could just believe me

(!)

The group is confronted by a number of shadowed individuals of different races, with a shadowed dragon with glowing golden eyes rearing up and roaring behind them.

I've found the strength and now I know where I can confide  
I've found a way to tame my own monster inside  
I've made my way and now I see it I can reach it now  
Hold on to me be sure you've got it memorized  
Yeah we'll survive the night

The Knights step forward, drawing weapons and glaring at the individuals with determination. Dylan grins, and rushes them with the others following close behind.

Voice in my head said to keep on going  
Don't let 'em see you bleed don't want your weakness showing  
Need you to see me  
If you could just believe me

The Knights clash with the group, quickly defeating the humanoid silhouettes before facing the dragon with Dylan snarling at it like an enraged animal. 

Tell me it'll all be fine  
That's a lie if I don't reach out then how could it be mine?  
Need you to see me  
And know what it's like to be me  
If you could just believe me

He leaps at the dragon, who responds in kind with the other Knights behind him before the scene bursts into flames and shows the title once more.


	2. First Confrontation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Knights first confrontations, some going well and some going very badly.

Chapter 1: First Confrontation

Dylan opens with a poorly thrown card, flying over the lizard’s heads. 

Dylan: Well, good to know I’m utter garbage with card throwing.

Kiyah: I got ‘em!

Kiyah dashes straight for the hoard, swinging a sword impotently. 

Kiyah: Or not.

Kaden retreats to a pillar and lets off a shot, clipping a lizard’s shoulder.

Kaden: I’ll cover you guys from here, give ‘em hell!

David pulls his Glock, shoots and barely wings a lizard. Ty comes up behind, casting Toll of The Dead and strikes a lizard with necrotic energy.

Ty: I got your back David!

The lizards start bullrushing Kiyah and three of them surround her.

Kiyah: Oh this can’t be good.

She is tagged by a swiping claw, earning a spurt of blood.

Kiyah: FUCK!

Dylan swings a dagger but the lizard deftly dodges out of the way before following up with a swiping claw. Dylan backsteps and dodges the swiping claw. 

Dylan: Kiyah, get some space! 

Kiyah retreats, taking a deep claw wound to her side.

Kiyah: Sonofabitch, that hurts!

Kiyah swings her longsword as she retreats, missing the lizard entirely. Kaden takes a shot at the lizard that he shot previously, scoring a deeper hit in a lizard’s shoulder. 

Kaden: Yes, suck it bitch!

David swaps his pistol for his shortswords and advances toward the swarm of lizards that engaged Kiyah. He takes a swing at one of the lizards and scores a glancing blow, he then swings again and scores an even deeper cut.

David: Yeah, these swords are more my speed!

Ty casts another Toll of The Dead, doing nothing. A lizard charges Dylan, but he kicks off a wall to flip over the diving lizard. 

Dylan: Buh nuh nuh nuh~ nuh nuh~ nuh nuh~, can’t touch this!

David is charged by four lizards, and is bombarded by various swipes and bites.

David: Oh I think I fucked up!

Dylan swipes with a card, missing entirely. 

Dylan: Fucking shit! Kiyah!

Kiyah backs up into a tower, pulling her pistol and shooting a lizard, grazing it. 

Kiyah: Fucking- Kaden, a little help?

Kaden shoots one of the hordes, striking it in the torso.

Kaden: Little busy!

David takes the opportunity, swinging his swords at the lizards in a bid to escape. Ty takes out his gun and shoots at the horde as well, and rushes to support his comrade. The lizards react by striking at the dragonborn, clipping him slightly. The remaining lizards ravage David, bringing him to the ground, he is bleeding heavily.

David: Is this how I die? I’m in this world for 30 minutes and this is how I die? 

Dylan is struck across the chest, causing him to hiss in pain. 

Dylan: Gah, bitch! Just fucking die already!!

He answers with a thrown card, but the lizard tail whips it away and hisses. Kiyah shoots at a heavily wounded lizard, killing it after much struggle. 

Kiyah: Jesus Christ, finally!

Kaden capitalizes by shooting into the hoard, but the bullet flies over them harmlessly. 

Kaden: God, why do I have such garbage aim?!

Ty draws blood from the fallen lizard's corpse, creating a blood rapier, draws a sinister looking shield, and strikes at another lizard but only manages to graze the lizard.

Ty: Ok, this hemomancer stuff is really cool!

He moves to flank the lizard in front of Dylan. The lizards notice Ty flanking their brethren and move to intercept him. Dylan swipes at the lizard with his daggers, scoring a cut across its side. Blood spray from the wound and the lizard lets out a cry before it dies. Light erupts from the lizard’s corpse and flows into Dylan’s ring, causing the golden gem on top to glow.

Kiyah shoots at the lizard trailing behind, hitting its head, killing it instantly. Kaden lines up his shot and executes the final lizard drawing the battle to a close. 

A.I: I’ve done a scan of the surrounding area and have located a structure up ahead that could serve as shelter. 

After the Knights finished taking a short rest to recover they moved deeper into the forest until they came to the lawn of an abandoned mansion.   
__________________________________________________________________  
Upon entering the lawn of the large abandoned manner that stood before them the Knights noticed a pack of wolves fan out to attack the group, Dylan starts barking orders whilst reloading his pistol. 

Dylan: Spread out! Surround them and start lighting them up!

David is the first to move, skirting around the side and takes a shot, pinging the wall behind one of the wolves. 

Kiyah pulls her pistol and fires a shot, catching the frontmost wolf across the shoulder. The wolves growl and charge the group lusting for blood.

Kiyah: Here they come!

Kaden grins, pulling his rifle and firing into the wolf in front once more. Blood spurts as the bullet connects. Dylan follows up with a shot to the same wolf, Dylan smirks as his gold topaz ring begins to glow and with a burst of light, a lizard from the previous engagement appears before him. The lizard then swipes at the advancing wolf. 

Dylan: Rip and tear Mamba, until it is done!

David turns to shoot and hits the limping wolf once more, earning a pained whine.

Kiyah fells the wolfpack leader with one more shot, making the group subtly cheer. Light from Ty’s ring surrounded the corpse of the dog and pulled it into the gem on top of the ring causing the grey gem to glow with a black ghostly light.

Ty: Good shit Kiyah!

The celebration quickly dissipates as the wolves finally reach them. 

Dylan: Oh shit.

The wolves take various swings, missing David but hitting Mamba earning a snarl from the lizard. Ty answers with a shot, grazing the wolf’s face and it reels in pain.

Two more wolves attack Ty, each missing as he backpedals.

Ty: Not today bitches!

Kaden moves around the group to shoot with his rifle once more and catches a wolf in the leg. 

Kaden: Just drop dead already mutt!

Dylan shoots over a wolf’s head, and Mamba swipes at the same wolf and leaves a bloody slash on its body.

Dylan: Good work boy!

Ty stabs with a blood rapier, cutting a wolf and earns a growl in return.

Ty: Odo, to me!

In a flash of light, a wolf lunges out of the ring and bites the opposing wolf, bringing it to the ground. David swings with his shortsword, slashing a wolf across the muzzle and backhands it across the same spot killing it in a spray of blood and teeth.

David: Down boy!

Kiyah fires over David’s shoulder, clipping another wolf. Angry growls answer them as a wolf goes to attack David but misses. The wolf however earned a claw from Mamba. Kaden shoots over the wolf in the front but it ducks out of the way.

Dylan also shoots over a wolf, and Mamba swings to keep it at bay but misses. 

Dylan: Could you just fuck off already?! Jesus!

Ty swings at a wolf, cutting it's face and Odo once more bite and pins the wolf to the ground. 

Ty: Good boy Odo!

David swings a shortsword at the wolf in front of him, lacerating it. 

The wolf bites feebly in return, heavily bleeding and is quickly finished with a dagger to the eye, putting the wolf out of its misery. Dylan shoots a wolf, hitting it in the shoulder, Mamba then follows up with a bite and absolutely guts it. 

Dylan: Looks like it’s cleanup from here y’all!

Ty shoots the wolf in front of him, putting it down.

Odo snaps at the wolf but it backsteps to dodge, but is then blindsided by David’s shoulder charge to knock it down. 

David: Outta the way son!

He swings with his shortsword, cutting it across the back and then the head in one last beautiful stroke.

Dylan: Good shit y’all. Let’s head for the house, ‘cause it’s gettin’ cold as fuck!  
__________________________________________________________________

Kiyah is the first to move to the doorway and sees that the floor is covered by large venomous snakes. She yelps and tries to snapshot one of them and misses. 

Kiyah: I’m tired of these mothafuckin’ snakes in this mothafuckin’ house!

Ty: Pfft!

Dylan swings around the doorway, taking a shot at a rearing snake and missing.

Dylan: Fuckin’ shite! Kaden?

Kaden fires over Dylan’s shoulder, hitting a snake.

Kaden: I gotchu.

David fires over the group, glancing a snake at the tail and earns a hiss. The snakes move for the doorway, hissing all the while but strike impotently. One managed a lucky strike, tagging David. He falls back, knowing how badly it would be to fall here.

Ty stabs with his rapier, glancing a snake’s body. Odo bites at a snake, wrangling it to the ground. Kiyah swings her longsword, bisecting the prone snake. Light explodes from David’s ring, envelopes the bisected snake and draws it into its emerald gem causing it to glow with a green light. Dylan swings a dagger, slicing a snake and earning a pained hiss. Mamba bites the same snake, causing it to bleed heavily.

Dylan: None of you bastards wanna go down easy, do ya?

Kaden shoots way over a snake.

Ty: Kaden is throwing!

David releases the snake from his ring and swings with his shortswords and connects with a snake’s face and bisects it on the second go around. Venom (David’s snake) strikes and sinks his fangs into an opposing snake. The two remaining snakes bite in return and both miss. Ty takes a shot and executes a snake, then uses Toll of The Dead to strike the other snake. Odo bites another snake, wounding it. 

Kiyah swings her sword, but it sails over the final snake but Dylan follows up with a shot, dropping it. 

Dylan: Can we PLEASE BE DONE?! For the love of God!!

A.I: I am detecting additional hostiles on the second floor.

Dylan: FOR FUCKS SAKE!!  
__________________________________________________________________  
Dylan is the first to make his way to the second floor and posts up on the open door, he then opens fire on a massive spider shooting and misses. Ty follows behind, shooting another spider square in the face which enraged it. David takes a shot from the back connecting with one of the spiders, Venom following up with a strike to the spider’s thorax. 

The spider retaliates against the snake, biting the reptile and leaving it in critical condition. Ty shoots at the spider in retaliation but the shot misses. 

Kaden: Hey guys, Ty is throwing!

Ty: Fuck off….

Kiyah moves to one of the side rooms and shoots the closest spider, hitting it in the leg. Kaden fires from behind the group, and strikes above the spider.

Dylan shoots and grazes the closest spider. Ty strikes the same spider but misses, with Odo snapping spider but the spider skitters out of the way. David moves forward, throwing a dagger and striking it in the left leg with Venom striking the spider in anger.

The spider bites in retaliation at Venom, causing him to explode into green light and then flows back into David’s ring. 

A.I: Once a guardian pet has been defeated, it will no longer be available for the rest of the battle but can be resummoned after a long rest.

Ty was unfortunately too distracted by the A.I’s comment to see a spider lunge at him and he takes a near fatal bite, hitting the floor with a pained scream. Dylan swings with a dagger and the spider that attacked Ty, slicing it in the mandible.

Dylan: Keep your fangs outta my bro, you creepy crawly fuck!

A.I: Ty you have suffered critical damage, use bottles of blood to restore your hit point. Since you are a hemomancer, traditional potions and healing spells will have no effect on you.

Ty reaches into his trench coat, grabs one of the bottles of blood, and knocks it back, healing the near fatal bite and various smaller wounds. Odo swing a claw at the assaulting spider, slicing it in half. David shoots at another spider past the doorway, clipping it.

A.I: Be advised, if you have taken serious damage and wish to avoid further damage, try using your decoy ability. After use, it requires a long rest to recharge.

The spiders rush Ty but its madables are blocked by his shield. Kiyah shoots over his shoulder, nailing it in the leg. Kaden also shoots at the spider's heads but misses. 

Dylan swings at the spider and also misses, Mamba on the other hand was able to sink his teeth into the spider. Ty knocks back his second to last bottle of blood and readies his shield. Odo moves to swipe at the spider that is engaging his master but misses.

Ty: This is one hell of a first battle...

David pushes forward and swings into the doorway, hitting a spider in the face. The spider bites at him, and sinks its fangs into a Decoy. It explodes into wooden shrapnel and magic blades shredding all the spiders nearby.

Dylan: Holy fucking shit!

Ty strikes with his rapier, heavily damaging the spider. Kiyah and Kaden both open fire on the spiders and both miss. Dylan swings with a dagger at the spider that almost got its face blown up by the decoy, slashing through its head.

Dylan: Fucking finally.

A light flows from the spider into Kaden’s amethyst ring causing it to glow. Ty moves to cover the doorway, throws an Inflict Wounds, bands of necrotic energy lashes the spider. Kaden shoots at the spider that’d charged through the door scoring a hit. Dylan swipes with his daggers and misses, Mamba backs Dylan up with a bite that leaves the spider wounded. Ty strikes with his rapier and spears the spider through the face.

A spider strikes Odo and with a burst of smoky black light is returned back to Ty’s ring. 

Ty: You’re going to die for that...

David moves behind Dylan and shoots over his shoulder and misses. Kiyah pushes forward and shoots over the spider as well.

Kiyah: Potato aim!

Kaden muscles through the group and tries to snapshot the final spider but misses the spider. Dylan attempts to shoot at the spider, but it ducks down making the shot miss. Ty casts Inflict Wounds and leaves it mortally wounded. David advances and cross slashes with his shortsword, bisecting it spider and sending yellow ichor everywhere.

David: God, please tell me that's it?

A.I: I am no longer detecting any hostiles in your immediate area. I would advise searching this structure for any helpful supplies and hunker down for the night.


	3. Rest and Reconnaissance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Gamers take their time to lick their wounds and prepare for their next encounter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Champ: Hello again, and welcome back to Knights of The Forgotten! A slower chapter this time, but this is set up for the next piece of the puzzle. Nothing much else to say here, so let's get into it.

*Third Person PoV*

The group gathered in the ‘living room’, exchanging looks at each other's states of being before Dylan broke the silence with a sigh. “So, I believe we can all agree that we definitely could have performed better in those encounters.” This is met with various looks and nods of agreement, bar Kaden who shrugs with a smirk.

Dylan glares at him for a moment, before addressing the group once again. “So, the first point is to GET. STRONGER. Period. Full stop. We got by on the skin of our teeth and dumb fucking luck.” He glances around, receiving no argument.

“So that’s the first part of the plan. Second point: we are in a foreign land and don’t have any idea of where anything is. No landmarks, merchants, nothing. So, we’ll need to do some recon and get a lay of the land. Make note of anything that could be of use: stores, libraries, weapon dealers, alchemists, anything with resources and or info.” At this, everyone hears a singular ping as the Gamer AI chimes in.

*Worry not, Gamers! Whilst you were all licking your wounds, I took the liberty to scan the surroundings and create a map with various landmarks to reference.   
Furthermore, a good way to gain levels without risking perma-death would be the Cyber-Dungeon program, though that has been subject to complications.*

This earned questioning and worried looks, before Dylan waved it off. “We’ll come back to that. Right now, we need to resupply and make our living situation livable before we start grinding levels.” This earns multiple agreements, and Dylan smiles.

“Excellent, now we’re getting somewhere. So, first order of business: scour this place for loot.” With that, the quintet disperses to gather the spoils.

*Ty’s PoV*

As I make my way down the stairs into the basement, I am silently praying that there are a mound of corpses I could use. Kiyah calls out from behind me, “So what exactly are we looking for down here?” 

“Corp- loot, definitely loot, and nothing else…….”

As we both hit the bottom of the stairs, Kiyah bolts ahead of me proclaiming that she saw something glowing in the darkness. She digs through a bit of splinted wood and lifts up a glowing golden egg. As she lifts it to her face, multiple cracks begin to form until a little red bird hatches from it and meets her gaze. “Dude, this looks like a baby phoenix.” 

“Dude, that’s badass!”

I gave a grand smile, but in my mind I wished that I had spotted it first.

“Are you sure you don’t want it? I mean, technically it would have been yours had I not followed you.”

“Nah, you're good fam. I think it's already grown attached to you anyways. I am sure that later on down the road I get something cool like a flesh golem or dragon, or something so you keep it- wait what's its name?”

The little bird spits a ray of flame and it ignites a torch that was laying on the ground. Kiyah glances at the lit torch, then lights up with inspiration. “Torch!”

“Perfect!”

Kiyah looks to her ring finger and sees that it is not on it. “Hey A.I, why don’t I have a guardian ring?”

*I was unaware that it was missing. Allow me to conduct a sca- CORRUPTION DETECTED! ERROR! ERROR! ERRO- Xy esxn gio nioqw zduyd zdaleasf gioy yiridal sizx as jqulxz ad wixz sid rxqisf. Sin dtud Xy tubx gio Xy'qq zdxuq gioy zio- Jettisoning corrupted data. I am sorry Kiyah but the ring appears to have been claimed by the enemy…*

“Uh, ok then….”

Meanwhile on the other side of the basement, I looked at a large barrel that was in the corner of the room and walked up to it, placing my decaying clawed hand on the lid. 

“Come on~ corpse barrel.”

I rip off the lid and see the barrel was just filled with water. 

“WHORE!!” 

Kiyah slowly sneaks up stairs leaving me to fume over liquid that is essential to survival. I furthermore I continued to sweep over the basement trying to find anything that resembled a corpse and found nothing but a few rat bones. Though what I did find was a very large chest, I peeked inside and saw various treasures before quickly closing it and taking it upstairs to the rest of the group. “Read it and weep, bitches!” and I go to drop it on a table and the table crumbles. “Yeah we really need to fix up this place, but check this shit out!” I open the chest to reveal various loot. “So it seems that there is187 gold coins, 679 silver coins, 6 smokesticks, an ench- I mean regular boring ring, a dispel magic weapon enchantment scroll, and this glaive” I hold up the glaive and almost fall over causing it to plunge into the floor, David picks up the glaive and stores it on his back, “a large barrel of water that is still in the basement, and lastly we had two torches, but Torch the phoenix lit one so now we only have one. Now if you will excuse me, I am going to spend the next few hours making bone powder!” With that I gave a salute and was about to head downstairs before I paused to look at the group. “Kiyah, take these eight platinum coins and go gets some supplies to fix up the house.” I hand her all eight of my platinum coins from my starting money pouch and then disappear to the basement.

Kiyah flags down David and they both bring up a map of the surrounding area. They search for something that resembles a supply store. Once they thought they found a place that fits the bill, they both departed. 

*Dylan’s PoV*

As Ty went downstairs to create his Bone Powder and Kiyah and David left to get to the store, I sat with Kaden in the ‘living room’ to decide where we went from here. Aside from getting stronger so we don’t get oneshot by a rat next time we fight, we needed to know where in the hell in space time we were located and what the hell we would be up against.

I needed to know just how badly we were in over the head. I sighed and smiled ruefully at the thought. I brought up the map and started examining it. I noticed two arrows moving out of the forest, Kiyah and David obviously. Everyone else was clustered around the house.

We would need a semi-reliable method of healing, so health potions and possibly a med-kit. Ammunition is a must as well, considering how many rounds we spent just keeping various critters from tearing us in half. Glass bottles for Ty to drain the life-blood of our slain enemies. Various materials to turn our house from a broken down shack to an actual living space. Food and water so we could actually survive. Other than that, anything else would have to come later on down the line.

I relayed this to Kaden, who agreed and pointed out that we needed to come up with a better system to face combat, lest we get absolutely ass-blasted once again. I chuckle at this and agree, knowing we were an absolute mess on our first fight. We needed to shape up.

Quickly.

*Kiyah’s PoV after they return from the store*

As David and I returned with a cart full of supplies from the store. I huffed as I moved some of the planks from the cart to the living room floor, I looked around at the wreck of a living room and pulled together a plan. David dropped the furniture behind me and I turned to him with a look. I just stared at all the supplies that we got.

“I just realized that we have no idea how to properly restore a house….”

The A.I speaks up.

*Worry not Kiyah, I will personally guide you through the process so that you can turn this dilapidated mansion, into a home!*

With a groan, we started pulling up the floorboards and replacing them as we went along.

The sofa, armchairs and coffee table were moved in swiftly and we started pulling the fireplace out of the wall. I groaned again as I realized just how long this would take.

*Ty’s PoV*

After spending four hours making four bottles of bone powder and an additional hour of having a ghost of me leave my body, travel around the house, spotting something of interest in the backyard, and then traveling back to my body because I thought that drinking some of the cursed unholy water that I had created was a great idea. After I recovered, I made my way back upstairs and called Dylan and Kaden “Hey guys! I forgot to check outside the house for things and such!” Dylan and Kaden looked up at me and said at once.

“Then go do that...”

Right before I exited out the back door of the house, I turned back to them. “That reminds me, so the water in the basement is cursed now and also a bit magically unstable, please don’t drink it!” and then I make my way outside to the backyard. I go to the patch of dirt in the backyard that I saw when I was an apparition. With a claw I remove part of the dirt and reveal an intense looking casket. “Jackpot!” 

I quickly uncovered the rest of the casket before staring at it, it looked like a warrior’s casket. I took a deep breath before opening the casket and my face lit up with excitement as he was a mummified corpse clad in armor with runes on it that was clutching a heavy crossbow. “Rise again if you would be so kind, dear warrior!” I sprinkle the bone powder on the corpse and it begins to stir to life. “Help me tear the evil of this world asunder!”. The corpse rises from its casket and stands before me before dropping to one knee and bowing. I gesture for him to rise. “So do you think that my resurrection speech was good?” 

He looks like he ponders for a while before getting a grunt of approval. “Hmmm, you’ll need a name.” I put my claw on my face and tap my lip as I wondered but then lit up when I came up with a name. “From here on out you will be known as Jimmy!” Jimmy the zombie gave out another grunt of approval and slowly raised two thumbs. “Ah, you are probably just saying that because I am your master, but for right now I am not in need of you so off to the underdark you go!” Jimmy salutes before face planting into the ground in front of me, dark shadow hands reach from the soil and grab him and begin to pull him beneath the soul until he is completely covered. I put the lid back on his casket and cover it again with dirt, and then make my way back inside. “Alright guys, I did a perimeter check and found nothing of interest so imma pick a room that looks the most gross and that will become my room”. Kaden looks up from the table.

“Dylan went downstairs and drank some of your unholy water while you were gone.”

Dylan had a huge grin on his face, “Hell yeah and your boy got a wish out of it! Guess you could say lady luck was on my side!” A star flickers in the distant night sky.

I silently processed the words that were just said and silently made my way back into the basement. Once I got downstairs I stood next to the unholy water barrel and removed the lid. “Jimmy, rise” and after uttering those words Jimmy crawled his way from the dirt and stood by my side. “As it shall be customary with all of my future undead, to prove your loyalty to me, you must drink of this unholy water.” 

Without any hesitation, Jimmy scoops up the water in his decayed armored hand and drinks it, at first nothing happens, but then I hear the fluid hiss and see that Jimmy took a bit of acid damage. I was both relieved that nothing bad happened but also upset that nothing good happened. “Well done Jimmy, you have proved your loyalty to me and you are now dismissed, return to the underdark if you would.” Jimmy bows respectfully, takes a few steps back, and swan dives into the ground which opened up just in time to swallow the zombie before then closing behind him. 

I smile at the display “For now and forever you shall remain my favorite zombie!” I put the lid back on top of the unholy water and then make my way up to the main floor, say goodnight to everyone before making my way to the second floor I hug the right side of the wall until I entered into a dusty room with a rune etched on the floor that glowed a faint blue, against the wall was a tattered, old, dingy couch that the me of the old world would have never even gotten close to but the new me loved. I spend a few minutes taking off all my explorer gear and trench coat before doing a stretch and unfurling my decaying wings. I then start crawling onto the couch, curling up into a ball with a wing draped over me. “Goodnight Odo and goodnight Jimmy, my first and most beloved undead!” I shut my eyes and drift off to sleep.

*Dylan’s PoV*

As soon as sleep fell over me, my eyes snapped open and I was very much not in my room. I was instead amidst a row of slot machines, all populated by ethereal figures whose features were largely indistinguishable, leading to a large circular bar with one person lounging at it.

She looked much like a Tiefling, though with some large differences. Her skin was mocha colored as opposed to ruby red and she possessed four slate gray tails, each tipped with the symbol of a card suit. She wore a skimpy card dealer’s outfit, with fishnet stockings and high heels painting her as a seductive high roller. Her bright amber eyes, shadowed by her single large horn off the right of her head, immediately turned to me and I felt my breath catch in my throat at her smokey gaze.

“Well~ if it isn’t my favorite gambling wolf.” Her voice was heavy with seductive tones and a Southern accent, sending shivers up and down my spine and blood rushing to my face. She beckoned me over with a finger, and I nervously shuffled over to her. Only after I regained my composure did this ‘Tiefling’s statement register.

“But, I haven’t been to a casino yet.” I remarked, and got a low chuckle from the woman in front of me. She pulled out a platinum poker chip and started rolling it along her fingers as she beckoned me to sit. I sat to her right and she took a sip from her martini glass before facing me.

“You’d be correct, but drinking the cursed water your friend made was a gamble in and of itself.” She replied, and I nodded in agreement after a moment. It certainly wasn’t the BRIGHTEST idea, but I felt compelled to see what happened regardless of the complications. No pain, no glory and all that.

“But not only did you do it TWICE, you got two positive effects. That kind of luck is hard to ignore.” She remarked, getting a double take from me.

“Two? I just thought nothing happened the first time and I got a Wish the second time.” I questioned, getting another chuckle from the woman. I was still trying to wrest away my blush as she replied.

“Cursed water always has a side effect. If you had any diseases, you would’ve been cured of them when you first drank it.” I blinked at this, surprised by my own good luck. I then realized that for all of our bantering, I didn’t know who this woman was.

As if she could read my mind, she extended a hand in an offering. “But where are my manners? You can call me Lady Luck. A pleasure, Mr Folds.” I shook her hand, a little flustered by her demeanor. 

“A pleasure. So, is Lady Luck an alias or…?” I questioned, earning a throaty chuckle from her. She shook her head, finishing off her martini and regarding me once more.

“No darling, that’s my true name. I am the goddess of luck and misfortune.” She replied, flicking out an Ace of Spades into her hands for good measure. As she said this, I felt a weight press down upon my shoulders and I gulped as the sheer power of this woman in front of me was quickly impressed upon me.

“Ah, my apologies then. Still new to this I fear.” I replied, feeling the weight slowly recede as Lady Luck smirked. She nodded, seemingly pleased with my recovery.

“Good. Now, I have an offer for you Mr. Folds. A simple one at that.” She says, and I sit up a little straighter hearing this. If I could get a goddess backing us, we’d be a step closer to facing whatever the world had to throw our way.

“Let’s hear it then.” I’d have to be careful with this however, considering this could very easily blow up in my face. I may be willing to take a gamble, but I'd rather not put anyone else in the line of fire.

“You become my champion, and you merely have to keep going the way you’ve been going already. Take risks, play the game of life and see how you come out. I will lend my aid in return, though even that is a game of chance in and of itself.” She replies, laying everything out on the table for me. I chewed my lip in thought, rolling around the pros and cons of this.

In the end, I knew that even with the risks involved, having a goddess backing me and my group would be invaluable. With that decided, I turned to Lady Luck and gave her a confident smile and nod. “You’ve got yourself a deal… My Goddess.”

This seemed to please Lady Luck greatly, judging by the grin on her face. “Excellent, so now we must seal our pact.” I nod in return, preparing myself for the sealing of our agreement.

I DIDN’T expect her to grab me by the shirt and kiss me full on the lips. I felt the same weight from before pressing down on me, before it seemed to wrap itself around me slightly. I quickly got the idea, and reciprocated the kiss for a moment before Lady Luck pulled away, smiling.

“With that, our pact is sealed. We will speak again soon, my Champion~.” As she said this, I felt sleep start to claim me once more. Soon, I fell once more in unconsciousness.

-That morning-

I awoke in my bed, groggy but awake nonetheless. I felt the fog of sleep lift away, and I blushed as what happened last night replayed itself in crystal clear detail. I smiled as I moved to get up from my bed…

Only to see something on my bedside table.

A platinum poker chip sat next to my gun, shining in the morning light. I picked it up, turning it over in my hands. Both sides were emblazoned, one side with Lady Luck’s tails in a manji formation and the other with Lady Luck herself. 

I pocketed the poker chip and made my way downstairs. 

*Ty’s PoV*

I wake up to Dylan walking past my room and with a stretch I popped every single vertebrae which produces a blood curling crunch, I unfurl my wings and they cast a large long shadow across the floor. I put back on my trench coat and sigh. “Jimmy is a outstanding undead but I feel like I will definitely need more than just him”

*I would advise taking a trip to Cravencroft Cemetery. I would imagine that there would be many corpses that you could add to your undead legion. I would recommend taking a trip there during the night, for in most cases necromancy is frowned upon as well as the activity will technically be classified as grave robbing.*

“That’s perfect, I just need to find a shovel and I’m in deadman wonderland!” I made my way downstairs to meet the rest of my group who had already started the renovations for the house. Not wanting to feel left out I say that I would wander around the house clearing any debris and after I get nods of approval I did just that, as well as look for and find a shovel. After clearing out the debris in the basement I did indeed find a shovel that I put in my trench coat.

*time skip to 9pm*

“Hey guys, I am going to head into town to go pick up a few stuff for necromancy stuff, I’ll be back in a few hours” and after seeing everyone nod I take off for Cravencroft Cemetery. After a 30min walk I arrive at the gates of the cemetery where I attempt to sneak through but am immediately spotted by a mourning family. I tell them that I work at the cemetery but fumble over my words and the father begins to call the cops. I shout “wait, the truth is I am here to find an necromancer’s artifact that could be used to resurrect undead and its kind of a covert mission so I can’t be one hundred percent honest.” 

The family kinda buys it which got the father to stop calling the cops. I apologize for scaring them and try to go see if I could find any promising spots to locate undead. I move to the corner of the Cravencroft Cemetery where there are two crypts that have 5 graves each that are arranged in a pyramid that is missing the top I try to open the door to the first crypt but I am too weak to open the door, so I then move to the second crypt and try to force it open, and with a bit of effort I succeed, when I enter the crypt I spy a corpse in a glass casket.

The desiccated corpse of a Tiefling laid in the casket. Two large horns curved from the sides of her head. She wore two skull pauldrons, a small fur top and a red dress. An alabaster mace with an obsidian hilt laid next to her left and a iron spiked chain on her right. The name on the casket read ‘Crerissa the Red’. I open the casket and take out one of my bone powder mixes from my belt and begin to pour it on the corpse. The unholy symbol around my neck begins to glow with green necromantic energy that then flows into the corpse causing her to rise and crawl out of her casket. She collected both of her weapons before standing before me and kneeling. I smirk a little and dismiss Crerissa to the Underdark and exit the crypt. 

I scan the other five graves around the crypt and one that is very aged catches my eye, so I move to unearth its grave. I pry open the lid and find an old guard with a short sword, I sprinkle bone powder on his corpse to bring him back to life and then send him to the underdark. I then scanned the cemetery again and a grave that had a flower vase next to it and had been recently cleaned caught my eye. I assume that this person was either deeply loved or at least was of some sort of importance so I move to unearth the grave with my shovel and try to pry the casket open and succeed again. 

A corpse that hasn't decomposed was lying in a coffin. Judging by the slow rise and fall of the ‘corpse’s chest, he’s actually sleeping. After blinking audibly, I slowly nod before I quietly close the casket and stand to look around once more. I come across a set of mossy graves with a few names that peak my interest, I do eenie meenie minie moe and select the leftmost grave and unearth the coffin. I try to open the coffin and fail so I summon the unnamed guard to assist me and we both effortlessly open the casket.

The corpse in the casket was remarkably preserved, his skin slightly grayed but his long brunette hair and outfit in pristine condition. A large pike laid next to him, a blue and silver tri-pointed affair with golden accents. I used more of my bone powder to revive him and he stood gracefully, a small smirk formed on his face as he planted the haft of his pike into the ground and bowed with great fervor. I gave a toothy grin in response and dismissed both him and the unnamed guard to the Underdark. 

I then go back to each of the coffins that I unearthed and place them back in their graves and bury them. I try again to sneak out of the cemetery, and while avoiding the main path and by hopping a fence I am able to exit the cemetery undetected. After walking for a half hour back to the house I gestured to the group that I had returned and made my way into the basement grabbing a cup on my way down. Once I was there I summoned all four of my zombies and took the lid off the cursed water. “My newly summoned legion, just as my first and most faithful zombie Jimmy has done, you will all partake of this cursed water as a display of loyalty to your new master, and in doing so you shall be reborn. I tell Crerissa to partake first, Jimmy fills the cup full of cursed water and hands it to her and she drinks it and begins to drool. I wait for a bit to see if anything else changes before putting a hand on her shoulder “Crerissa you shall now be reborn as Abra, Abra Cadaver, and I welcome you to the fold”. 

Next I gesture for the unnamed guard to drink next, Jimmy again fills the cup full of cursed water and hands it to the unnamed guard who drinks it without hesitation. He falls limp and I see that his dark violet purple spirit left his body but stood over the corpse. I laugh knowing that the same thing happened to me yesterday, “Well unnamed guard, since I am sure in about an hour you will return to your zombody, you are now reborn as Zombro and I welcome you to the fold!”. Now lastly we have our most cavalier zombie and gesture for him to do the same as the others had done, he prys the cup from the unconscious zombie’s hand, fills it with cursed water and drinks. 

His eyes glow but nothing else happens, I grin, “Last and most definitely not least you shall now be reborn as Big Deadie. Welcome to the fold! I appreciate all of these acts of loyalty” Right as I am about to cheer I hear my group mates head toward the basement entrance and I quickly desummon all the zombies with Jimmy taking Zombro’s body with him. I look at my party as they all enter the basement. Dylan is the first to speak. “The fuck are you doing down here?”

“Necromancer shit, what else?” 

“I call bullshit!!!”

“Ok tell me then, what else would I be doing down here?”

“Experimenting with your cursed water, what else?”

“Oh do you think I was using this cup” *I pick up the cup* “and filling it with cursed water” *I fill it with cursed water* “and just drinking it” *I drink the cup of cursed water but nothing happened* 

“... So, was something supposed to happen or~...?”

“It normally does nothing unless someone like you drinks it apparently….”

*Dylan’s PoV*

I stare at the barrel, then shrug and gesture for the cup which Ty hands me. I scoop water from the barrel, swish it around and raise the cup to cheer the party, tap my chip to it and knock back in one shot. It tastes metallic, and I feel something solid and circular in my mouth. I spit it out, and find seven gold coins in my hand. I kiss my poker chip and raise the air, feeling the power of Lady Luck wrap around me comfortingly.

Kiyah’s PoV*

As I watched Dylan spit out seven gold coins and grab the cup from his hands, fill it with cursed water, and shoot it down. I feel the restorative powers of the liquid but then I realize I can’t hear anything, at first I am filled with dread, but then it is replaced with a sense of unknown fun!

*David PoV*

“Well I ain’t no bitch so hand me that cup” as I took the cup from Kiyah who couldn’t hear my request for it. I take the cup, fill it with cursed water and drink it. I don’t feel anything and just blow it off as nothing happened.

*Ty’s PoV*

Once the group was satisfied with drinking my cursed water they all returned upstairs. Before I move to join them, I hold up my unholy symbol and whisper to it. “Make this water truly unholy, make it so that only me and my undead legion can gain any benefits from it,” With that a bolt of necrotic energy shoots from my symbol to the water turning it into a dark ichorous black with wisps of black smoke that come off it. I smile before putting the lid back over the water and joining the rest of my group upstairs. 

*Dylan’s PoV*

As we gathered in the living room that now has oak hardwood floor, a dark green living room set with a glass coffee table, we began to discuss our next move. I stood in front of the newly renovated fireplace, hands crossed behind my back. “So, the way I see it our plan of action is this: we gather whatever miscellaneous supplies we need, go through this ‘cyber dungeon’ the AI mentioned and register with Aguefort Adventuring Academy to find us a healer. Are we in agreement?”

Nods all around. “Excellent, let’s move.”

As the group disperses, I walk back upstairs to my room and grab my gun off my bedside table. I pass it between my hands as thoughts begin to rise and fall like ocean waves.

‘How the hell do we plan to beat an Avatar of Sin?’

‘Where the hell would it even be?’

‘Are we anywhere close to being prepared for this?’

I shake my head violently, willing away the thoughts and anxiety slowly stacking on my shoulders. I holster my pistol and roll my shoulders. “We're doing this cyber dungeon to BE PREPARED. The rest can come later.”

Nodding to myself, I walk back downstairs to the living room where everyone else is gathered in a loose huddle. I knock on the entryway as I walk in and try to smile as they turn to look at me. “Are we ready?”

“Nope, but we’re doing it anyway.” Ty replies, smiling reassuringly. I nod in return, and give the activation phrase to kick this party off.

“INSTANT DUNGEON CREATE! PROVING GROUNDS!”

At once, a dome comes into existence like a mirror shattering in reverse, jagged pieces of glass coming together and knitting themselves into a blue wireframe sphere around us. The scene slowly shifts into a derelict factory, acid cauldrons bubbling and a conveyor belt whirring in the background as we stand atop a large metal pillar. A slightly mechanical, slightly ethereal voice begins to speak.

“Ah, so these are my new subjects. I do so hope you prove to be more interesting then the ones I created myself.”

I turn to regard the voice behind us. A blue silhouette of a man is hovering behind us, head cradled in his right hand as he seemingly regards us. I shake off the feeling of being an insect under a microscope as I reply to this being.

“You must be the AI in charge of the dungeons. Tabuu, was it?” A nod from Tabuu as he hovers around us. Every so often, he’d stop and inspect one of us closer before orbiting once again. I break the silence after a minute.

“You said something about us being interesting? Could you please elaborate?” Tabuu stops in front of me when I ask this, prompting me to stand a little straighter. I slowly moved to place a hand on my pistol as he replied. Tabuu sees this and tilts his head and though he does not have a face, I felt as if he was smiling.

“Save those bullets for something that will actually have an effect on. Simply put, I’ve been running simulations with various AIs for decades now and it’s grown… Stale, to put it simply. There’s only so much you can do with an artificial test subject before you run out of inspiration.”

“LIVING test subjects on the other hand, are more unpredictable. Able to make snap decisions, change plans on the fly, they breathe life into an otherwise dull experiment. Pun not intended.” A small chuckle escapes me, and I shift uncomfortably, sensing the others do the same behind me.

“So, I’ll extend an offer to you five: I will run this simulation and observe your actions. If you successfully clear this simulation, I will permit you to use other ‘cyber dungeons’ to ‘level up’.” He states, a grand sweeping gesture to the factory around us.

“However, if you fail I will look for other test subjects out in YOUR world. See if anyone else can stand a chance.” We all freeze as the implications hit us like a freight train.

‘If we fuck up here, he’ll escape and bring god knows what out into the real world. To get “data” or some bullshit.’ 

I immediately replied. “Very well.”

Tabuu claps, seemingly excited. “Excellent! Now…”

“LET US BEGIN THE EXPERIMENT!!!”

**Author's Note:**

> So, prologue chapter done. I'll post the rest in the coming week. Anything to say Phresh?
> 
> Phresh: Hope you guys enjoyed, and that you'll stick around for more!
> 
> Indeed, so if you enjoyed please leave kudos, sub and catch you later!


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